Welcome Home
by charlibubble
Summary: Another little GSR oneshot. set after Grave Danger, Grissom asks Sara to live with him, in his own roundabout way.


Sara was tired, really tired. They had found Nick and rescued him but it was an immense strain on the whole team and poor Nicky was traumatised. That was understandable of course, she wouldn't have expected him to come out of an underground coffin half eaten by ants as a well rounded individual. Catherine and Warrick had gone to the hospital with him while she had gone back to the lab with Grissom. It was quiet in the lab and she had finished her paperwork. She wandered along to his office and stood propping up the doorway as he concentrated on scribbling at something on his desk. She couldn't help but smile when she looked at him sitting there, concentration and a little confusion written all over his face. She quickly looked around the corridor to make sure there was no-one around before taking the seat across from him and studying his face as he looked at her.

"you ok?" she asked him narrowing her eyes a little.

She knew he would never tell her if he wasn't but she could read even the tiniest change in his expression, it was something she had gained over the years of studying him. he slipped his glasses off as he sat back in his chair sighing deeply.

"Ecklie is bringing the team back together"

She frowned at his statement, it was tinged with sadness. She would have thought that having everyone together again would be a good thing. She missed having Nick and Warrick around. She even missed Catherine.

Registering her confusion Grissom sat up and leaned towards her over his desk.

"we're going to struggle to keep _this_ a secret much longer"

Now she could see what he was thinking, keeping their relationship to themselves had been relatively easy when it was only Greg Sanders around but with a team of highly trained professionals who knew them both very well it would be almost impossible. They would spot every look, every touch, every gesture. She suddenly recognised the tone in his voice, sadness… regret?

Without saying a word she stood and left the room. She knew him well enough to know when he was about to break her heart and she didn't want him to see just how much it broke…..

CSI CSI CSI CSI CSI CSI

Bewilderment did not quite cover what Grissom was feeling when she walked out. he was never known for being tactful or sensitive to other people's emotions but he had barely gotten a sentence out before she ran out of there. He didn't move, choosing instead to stare vacantly into space replaying what had happened trying to make sense out of her reaction.

She thought it was over. Possibly referring to their relationship as _this _again wasn't his best choice of words. He debated what to do. He could go over there but there was no doubt in his mind she wouldn't let him in, she needed some space and he needed to give it to her. Picking up his cell phone he dialled her number. He really should have learned to think things through by now, he had upset her so many times over the years. She didn't answer, he knew she wouldn't but for once he had a plan. He had been counting on her answerphone to pick up the call. He needed a little time.

"Sara, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to sound like it did. Let me take you to dinner before work. I have something to show you"

Satisfied with his message he ended the call and flicked through his business cards. He had another call to make and a lot of organising to do before dinnertime.

CSI CSI CSI CSI CSI CSI

Sara paced around her tiny living room, tears were welling up in her eyes but she was more angry than hurt by now. She was infuriated at herself more than him, deep down she had always known that his career would come first. She had heard him say so himself. She had been so naive to think that just because they were sleeping together that would change. With Nick going missing it could have had two effects and she really should have known that he would choose the negative one. Why was she always letting him get to her?

Her cell phone lit up ringing into the apartment, echoing onto the empty walls. She started at it as Grissom's name flashed over and over. if he thought she was going just pick up and listen to his stupid little quotations he didn't know her as well as he liked to think. She angrily tossed a cushion at the phone and strode over to the kitchen. The phone stopped ringing and she glared at the cushion while she fetched a tub of organic ice cream from the refridgerator. Curling up on her sofa and pulling a blanket over her legs she flicked on the TV and absentmindedly flicked through the channels. Her phone buzzed with a message and she eyed the cushion over it suspiciously. Curiosity got the better of her and she picked it up listening to the message he had left her. Well at the very least he recognised he had messed up. She debated whether going to dinner would even be a good idea. If he was going to break up with her maybe she should just go to work and get on with it, avoiding him at all costs. She knew that in the end curiosity would get the better of her and even if it meant it would be their last date, Sara would cherish the moment like every other one.

CSI CSI CSI CSI CSI

The meal went by with both of them relatively unscathed. The atmousphere around them was palpable. Grissom was nervous and Sara was seething and yet their sexual chemistry still fizzed around them. They were eating in a small restaraunt just outside of town, they never ate anywhere too fancy before work because they would never get the time to go home and change before shift. Grissom was driving and they sat in the car in silence, it was an uncomfortable silence and they were both itching to say something to each other. In the end it was Sara who spoke first.

"what did you have to show me then?" she glanced at him from the corner of her eye

"it's a surprise" he smiled a little and she began to relax slightly

"I thought you were breaking it off"

"I know. I'm sorry. Here we are"

Sara looked out of the window. She couldn't see anything of interest. They were in a non-descript parking garage, her mind was racing with the possibilities as he led her across to a doorway at the far end of the lot.

"why are we here?" she asked him, her voice tinged with excitement and suspicion.

"close your eyes, Sara"

She eyed him with suspicion frowning and trying to fight the smile that was playing around the corners of her mouth. His eyes were alight with excitement she loved how they sparkled and danced as they looked into hers.

"trust me"

She smiled now and carefully closed her eyes as she hear him opening the door and leading her through. The floor clicked and echoed as they walked and she could smell a strong apple smell. Grissom stopped her and she could hear him fiddling with something. It sounded like keys and she heard another door opening. He pulled her forward a little more by both hands and then stopped her and took a few steps away from her.

"open them"

She smiled as she slowly opened her eyes. She was in a large airy room, directly in front of her were huge windows on a wall with exposed brickwork. There was a kitchen the right. complete with all the mod cons and a breakfast bar. She looked around taking a few steps into the room. This she hadn't expected. She looked at him watching her with a confused expression on her face.

"this is yours?"

She continued to walk around the room taking in the industrial decoration and the modern mezzanine floor. She could just picture it filled with all his insects and jars of experiments.

"its ours" he said, smiling at her.

She whipped around to face him, shock written all over her face.

"what do you mean, its ours?"

He pulled a box out of his pocket and handed it to her carefully. She opened it with trembling hands. Just a few hours ago she was facing the prospect of the relationship being over and now he was asking her to move in with him? inside the box was a set of keys attached to a keyring in the shape of an 'S'. on the inside of the box was a message from Grissom 'welcome home'


End file.
